October 20, 2009

Liturgy Live on My Castle of Quiet, 14th October 2009

Black metal doesn't always have to be a wallowing in vitriol and hatred, or a focused venting of negative emotions, and Liturgy are a case in point. Remember the first time you heard Enslaved's Frost album? Or to stretch genre definitions only slightly, Don Caballero's What Burns Never Returns, or King Crimson's Discipline? Think soulful exactitude, with a profusion of spiritual power.

Liturgy are energized players—and their music is definitely black metal—but to listen to them is to take flight on wings of ever-arcing melodic and trebly crescendos. Not so much shoveling shit on the grave of Christ here. There's a decided uplift to Liturgy's songs and performance.

A magnificent set, and engineered with expert ears and hands by Jason Sigal. Jason, Jed and myself were somewhat in awe of the musical spectacle happening on the other side of the double glass—and here it is—on mp3, from WFMU and the Castle, to your hard drive or portable listening device.

Liturgy's new album is called Renihilation, available on vinyl and CD from 20 Buck Spin. You can catch Liturgy live on All Hallows' Eve at Brooklyn's Market Hotel, with other local NYBM giants Malkuth (coming soon to the Castle), and the great Tara Jane O'Neil.